Lonely Bear: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Bear Bluff Clan Book 6) by Harmony Raines Page A
Authors: Harmony Raines
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option; her ankle hurt too much, and there was a real danger the ground beneath her would start sliding again. No, the only real way she was going to get anywhere was if she crawled, steadily, and with great care, sideways.
One slow movement at a time, she made her way off the steep slope, which at every move seemed to slide from under her. She no longer fell down at great speed, but still she edged further down, a thing that didn’t worry her, until she realised how far across she had come. A hundred feet below her was a big rock face: sheer, deadly.
Chloe knew she had to stay calm. There was no one here to help her; she was on her own. Every move now would have to be careful and calculated. Her only problem was the fading light. Glancing back behind her, she could see the sun beginning to go lower in the sky; soon it would be too dangerous to move. But if she didn’t, there was a good chance hypothermia would set in as the temperature dropped.
“Stay calm,” she told herself again. To keep her mind active she started counting each step, knowing that each time she lifted her foot and slid it across, she was getting one step closer to safety. With these slow, controlled movements, she no longer slipped down towards the rock face, but she knew she was not moving fast enough.
Tired, her muscles beginning to cramp with the cold, she knew she was in danger. Real danger. However, giving up was not an option, so she kept moving. Inch by inch, she moved herself towards the safety of the grassy bank, which she would be able to crawl along to safety.
When the prickle of mountain grass, short and tough, tickled her fingertips, she could have cried. Slowly, not allowing the euphoria of safety to make her risk a wrong move, she pulled herself onto the springy grass. There she collapsed, her whole body trembling.
Pushing herself up, she crawled on her hands and knees, finding a path that led downwards, but there was no way she would have the strength to get herself out of this mess before dark covered the mountain completely. Her best bet would be to find a place to rest for the night, maybe a dip in the ground she could crawl into. Then she could cover herself with leaves: anything to keep herself warm. Cold was now her biggest danger, and the first bone-shaking shiver passed through her body, confirming her fear.
Resting for a moment, she sat on the grass, feeling the dew start to seep into her jeans. She couldn’t stop here for long, but she wanted to check if she was far enough down the mountain to pick up a signal on her phone. If she was, she could call the police and they would get mountain rescue up here to find her.
It all seemed ridiculous really, the thought of a rescue party coming up the mountain to find her. It was not as if the mountain was that difficult a climb, at this level. It was more that her luck had gone against her once more. As she swallowed a strangled sob, knowing she didn’t have the strength left in her to cry and to crawl, she began the slow descent.
She could hear her father now, telling her how stupid she was. This stunt, coming up the mountain alone, was just like her. Chloe knew her father thought she should have done whatever it took to keep hold of Jerry. This kind of behaviour was the reason he had gone off with another woman, and got himself another job. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if she just stayed here; it meant she wouldn’t have to face the world. Wouldn’t have to listen to her father, or go through the embarrassment of cancelling the wedding reception and the caterers.
“Damn it,” she shouted, pulling herself along, there was no way she was just going to give up. If anything, this was her chance to shine, to take back control of her life. Yes, she wanted to settle down and have kids. But if that wasn’t how things were going to work out, then she would find something else to do. Perhaps move away from the area and start again on her own terms.
Slowly, painfully, she
One slow movement at a time, she made her way off the steep slope, which at every move seemed to slide from under her. She no longer fell down at great speed, but still she edged further down, a thing that didn’t worry her, until she realised how far across she had come. A hundred feet below her was a big rock face: sheer, deadly.
Chloe knew she had to stay calm. There was no one here to help her; she was on her own. Every move now would have to be careful and calculated. Her only problem was the fading light. Glancing back behind her, she could see the sun beginning to go lower in the sky; soon it would be too dangerous to move. But if she didn’t, there was a good chance hypothermia would set in as the temperature dropped.
“Stay calm,” she told herself again. To keep her mind active she started counting each step, knowing that each time she lifted her foot and slid it across, she was getting one step closer to safety. With these slow, controlled movements, she no longer slipped down towards the rock face, but she knew she was not moving fast enough.
Tired, her muscles beginning to cramp with the cold, she knew she was in danger. Real danger. However, giving up was not an option, so she kept moving. Inch by inch, she moved herself towards the safety of the grassy bank, which she would be able to crawl along to safety.
When the prickle of mountain grass, short and tough, tickled her fingertips, she could have cried. Slowly, not allowing the euphoria of safety to make her risk a wrong move, she pulled herself onto the springy grass. There she collapsed, her whole body trembling.
Pushing herself up, she crawled on her hands and knees, finding a path that led downwards, but there was no way she would have the strength to get herself out of this mess before dark covered the mountain completely. Her best bet would be to find a place to rest for the night, maybe a dip in the ground she could crawl into. Then she could cover herself with leaves: anything to keep herself warm. Cold was now her biggest danger, and the first bone-shaking shiver passed through her body, confirming her fear.
Resting for a moment, she sat on the grass, feeling the dew start to seep into her jeans. She couldn’t stop here for long, but she wanted to check if she was far enough down the mountain to pick up a signal on her phone. If she was, she could call the police and they would get mountain rescue up here to find her.
It all seemed ridiculous really, the thought of a rescue party coming up the mountain to find her. It was not as if the mountain was that difficult a climb, at this level. It was more that her luck had gone against her once more. As she swallowed a strangled sob, knowing she didn’t have the strength left in her to cry and to crawl, she began the slow descent.
She could hear her father now, telling her how stupid she was. This stunt, coming up the mountain alone, was just like her. Chloe knew her father thought she should have done whatever it took to keep hold of Jerry. This kind of behaviour was the reason he had gone off with another woman, and got himself another job. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if she just stayed here; it meant she wouldn’t have to face the world. Wouldn’t have to listen to her father, or go through the embarrassment of cancelling the wedding reception and the caterers.
“Damn it,” she shouted, pulling herself along, there was no way she was just going to give up. If anything, this was her chance to shine, to take back control of her life. Yes, she wanted to settle down and have kids. But if that wasn’t how things were going to work out, then she would find something else to do. Perhaps move away from the area and start again on her own terms.
Slowly, painfully, she
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